Launching of the International Training course on Planning and Management of Malaria Control Programs for Anglophone African countries, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 6th June-16 July 2011

Today, June 06 2011, the launching of the International Training Course on planning and management of Malaria control programs took place at the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research (EHNRI) premises, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In collaboration with WHO's Global Malaria Programme, the training course is jointly organized by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO), the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute and the Federal Ministry of Health of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia with financial support from the government of the Russian Federation. The 42 days training course will last until July 16, 2011.

The purpose of this training is to strengthen skills and knowledge of national malaria control program workers. A total of 25 participants drawn from 8 English speaking African countries and one participant from Martsinovsky Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Moscow, Russia, are attending this intensive training. These are national malaria control program managers and their team members, e.g. case management and vector control officers, M and E personnel, IEC staff, and environmental health officers. Eight recently reviewed WHO training modules will be used during this training. Local and International malaria professionals from GMP, AFRO, FMOH, Addis Ababa University and partners will facilitate the teaching of these learning materials. Plenary presentations, practical sessions and field visits will be organized for the acquisition of skills during this training. It is also envisaged that participants will share their country experiences in malaria control through seminars and group discussions. It is expected that participants would have acquired technical knowledge and competencies in case management, vector control, epidemiological surveillance, community and social mobilization operational research and planning at the end of their training. It is hoped that back to their countries, trained health workers will assist their respective NMCPs to organize training sessions on malaria control at district and community levels and participate in planning process and resource mobilization at country level.

Dr. Amha Kebede, Acting Director of EHNRI, in his welcoming remarks highlighted the importance of this training in an effort to produce skilled manpower for malaria control. According to Dr. Amha, his institution is dedicated to research to support evidence-based decision making in malaria control and welcomed the participants who arrived from various Anglophone African countries to interact with various programmes being carried out in his centre as well as to visit other parts of the country. The A/Director assured participants of his commitment to make this course an enjoyable and successful.

On the other hand, Dr. Fatouma Nafo-Traore, WHO representative to Ethiopia in her opening remarks mentioned the high toll of cases and deaths related to Malaria and the need to address this serious public health problem. The WHO representative mentioned the role of good leadership, the need for skilled manpower, the need to involve communities in the fight against the disease and the necessity of coordinating all efforts to achieve the intended objectives. She reiterated WHO's commitment and continued support for the human resource development.